I am currently looking for a programmer job and one of the job ads mentions TS/SCI experience. Does anybody know what that is? Thanks a lot !

It is a type of Top Secret security clearance. I know that it is used by the Air Force but possibly is used by other areas of government also. It takes a pretty heavy duty investigation by the FBI and others to get one and takes about six months. Some jobs will require that you currently have one to get the job, others will require that you be able to get one. In that case, the company hires you and starts the clearance process and gives you non-TS work to do until it is processed. I suppose it depends upon the company what happens if you fail to get the clearance.

TS/SCI is a security clearance (valid in the United States for 5 years, with reinvestigation required for renewment). Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmentalized Information. I believe it involves paperwork (a questionaire to start with), a 10 year background check, financial record check, and criminal search. To get the information on getting this clearance, you need to talk to a security advisor at the company in question. You sign away all rights to withhold information from the clearance board which investigates you with a Top Secret clearance. For Top Secret, you don't just get a general search through the FBI database, but a Single Scope Background Investigation (SBBI). This involves interviews made by the clearance board and even one with you. The investigators look for some dirt, but also want to just know everything they can about you (no secret life). The U.S. DoD has its own security standards (they do what they want) as well as the U.S. DoE. Polygraph tests are not always required for even Top Secret clearance, but the DoD agencies will probably make you take one. The United States military has three levels of classification, plus a host of special clearances. Confidential is for things you shouldn't talk about in the bar, secret is for information that you shouldn't leave on your computer at home, and top secret is for anything that might get you kidnapped or killed (roughly). On top of these levels, you have Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (SCI, for SAP's or Special Access Programs). This is for projects, not general classifications. Some things as few people as possible should know about. The agency or firm to which you are applying can help you out with information on security clearances (they should have a security staff who handles this).

Anon, is there anything that you don't know?? FYI - I had a TS/SCI thru the Air Force (DoD) and never took a polygraph test. But, then again, I never knew anything that would help anyone foolish enough to kidnap me!

"I had a TS/SCI thru the Air Force (DoD) and never took a polygraph test. But, then again" They have lots of clauses that all amount to the DoD doing what it wants. The polygraph is avoided a lot of the time because it is not regularly reliable and if you get a horrible reading (read: interpretation) then its hard to ignore, but it's hard to rank it with other evidence. If you are percieved to be lying about selling military secrets, yet there is no evidence of that, what is to believe? All the sudden, the test's use leads to unreliable decision making (one bad judgement can lead to another), because the decision-maker could very well be ignoring the polygraph evidence (if they do not consider it evidence) or disscluding other, more concrete evidence in favor of the polygraph. It's bad policy for regular use. "...is there anything that you don't know??" Yes Don. I still need help with electrical engineering (well, all engineering really), solid-state physics (same thing with engineering), finishing TAOCP, radio theory, chemistry (needs lots of work there), (U.S.) law, framing and residential construction, languages (Russian and Central/South Asian I will probably never get too), anything medical, composition theory (harmony and everything else that would like to be harmony), and I am no good with Mediterranean archaeology. Pretty good size list really. I also elicited the use of Google, so it is more a question of what can't I learn.

Hi. Does anyone have information on the best possible route toward getting training and experience working with TS/SCI? I am currently in the job market for systems/web administration work and many job postings are asking for familiarity with TS/SCI. I do not have a military background, I have no prior experience with TS/SCI and no top security clearance. However, I see no reason why I couldn't get the clearance and learn. Can anyone point me in the right direction ? Thanks for your help. Anne

"Can anyone point me in the right direction?" I am fairly sure this is not an independent endeavor, i.e. you need a company that wants you to get this clearance or the DoD (probably only DoD contractors). The Defense Security Service (DSS) might have more information for you. http://www.dss.mil/ Also, you might try contacting the security clearance representative or staff of a company posting the requirement with their job description (if the company is fairly large). The staff might be able to provide some information (or tell you to get a job first). Unfortunately, the clearance is a long process and prospective employess do not get clearances. Basically, you need a job with a government contractor which involves a need for you to get a clearance. Otherwise its join the military, where these things are fairly common (and where a basic clearance is part of the package). This is definitely not a pickup item for your resume and is more of an investment than certification.